The Open Deck

By Patrick McSherry

Continuing forward, the visitor will find themselves on the open
deck. Interestingly, in spite of the size of the ship, there is very little
open space on the vessel's decks, as is evidenced here on the spar deck.

The visitor will see several items of interest in this area. Moving
forward, passed the engine hatch, and two steam winches. The steam winches
had a variety of uses. They could be used to aid in the raising of the
OLYMPIA’s
sails, which were seldom used, and also to raise and lower the vessel's
cutters and boats. More importantly, the winch would have been used to
raise containers of coal to fill the always-hungry coal bunkers.

Continuing, the visitor will pass the funnels, and the ship’s bell,
while overhead are the racks to hold OLYMPIA’s
steam launches, cutters, dinghies and other boats. The boat davits remain
in place though at present, the boats do not.

On the left is the ship's bell. On the right is
one of the vessel's searchlights on its platform.

A search light on a raised platform remains in place on both the
port and starboard sides on the vessel. Searchlights had become crucial
parts of a vessel's defenses by the time of the Spanish American War. The
main task of these lights were to help in defending against a night attack
by a torpedo boat.

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